


Pearl

by Marudny_Robot



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2019-02-26 11:05:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13234350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marudny_Robot/pseuds/Marudny_Robot
Summary: There were two unexpected guest during dinner at the Manor.





	Pearl

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sophycroft](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sophycroft/gifts).



> Prompt was: "through some twist of fate bruce gets to know what his parents would think of who he’s become (+ his kids?)"
> 
> I hope you will enjoy this fic :)  
> (If anything, know I tried to make Alfred more snarky for you.)

Bruce looked at the single pearl, lying in small present box. Pearl itself was cleaned and now, with it's lack of dirt, it was hard to tell that it was found in one of the Gotham's alleyways. The pearl - which, as he was told, was one of those his mother had - was a present for him from Damian. Unexpected present, but he cherished it.

He took the pearl in his hand, smiling fondly. He sometimes would have loved for his parents to be with him…

Suddenly he heard the _ping_ of the reminder in his phone.

Bruce looked at the clock, surprised. _Damn._ Unfortunately, he had to stop in his musings. It wouldn't seem good to be late _again_ (and he already made Alfred mad). He hid pearl in his jacket pocket, not ready to part with it yet.

He had to hurry if he didn't want to be late – or rather – if he didn't want Alfred to nag him later. _All his children_ decides to visit _at the same time_ , and Alfred start to act as the Queen herself will visit. (It's not that he isn't happy. He just didn't expected _Alfred_ to be more enthusiastic than _Dick_ about the whole fiasco _._ )

He went slowly downstairs. Before he went to the main dining room, where everything was set, he went to the entrance hall. Dick was supposed to be soon, with Barbara. He wouldn't mind waiting for them. ( _He just wasn't ready to face the rest of his family alone._ Especially when Alfred wouldn't help him.)

Just as he was near  his destination, he heard the doorbell rang. Without waiting for Alfred, he opened the door, to let the two guests in.

“B! That's surprising!” Dick shouted. He went inside, behind Barbara. “So excited that you couldn't wait?”

“It wasn't the reason…”

“Trust me, Master Richard. Master Bruce was so exited today, he couldn't wake up _on time_.” Alfred said with a pointed look in the Bruce's direction. No one was sure, when he appeared. Dick laughed at his dad's antics, while B frowned at the accusation.

“Miss Barbara, may I take your coat?”

“Thank you Alfred.” she said. _“Bruce, don't be so hard on Alfred. He isn't so young, now.”_

Bruce paused, surprised.

He looked at Barbara.

“Could you repeat that?” he asked her. She blinked confused at his request.

“I said. 'Thank you, Alfred'. Are you going deaf?”

“No, I…” everyone looked at him in question. “ _Never mind._ Let's go eat. Hopefully dining room is still intact.”

“Don't worry, Master Bruce. I left Miss Casandra and Master Duke with them. Should be enough.”

“Let's hope so.”

Dining room  _was_ intact. And food still untouched. Bruce was honestly surprised (but also genuinely happy), seeing rest of his children siting like civilized human beings at the table.

He could forgive those stink eyes between Damian and Tim. And that annoyed look at Jason's face. He was just happy, they weren't trying to kill each other.

“ _I remember you being like that, son.”_ Bruce heard the male voice said from behind him.

He quickly turned around, but no-one was there.

“B? You alright?” Dick asked. Bruce faced his family. Barbara, Alfred and Dick started looking concerned, while the rest were curious what was going on.

He gestured to leave the topic alone, and sat between Cassandra and Damian. “I'm just tired, that's all.” he commented.

Alfred sighed, going to the kitchen to bring the last dish. He muttered on his way out: “He doesn't sleep, he comes back injured. He overslept and he start hearing things.  _Honestly_ , Master Bruce.”

“Are you ever going to forget this?” Bruce shouted after him. He _didn't whine_ , mind you.

As he came back, Alfred put the dish on the table and gave Bruce a  _look_ .

“It was Gentleman's promise, Master Bruce. Which you didn't honored.” he said, seemingly annoyed. “If Master Jason didn't came earlier and helped me, I wouldn't know what to do.” Jason tried not to look embarrassed, hiding from Bruce's (actually proud) gaze. “We would probably freeze to death.” Alfred deadpanned. Fully aware that latest renovation and added isolation to Manor's walls helped to keep cold away, and that fireplace wasn't the only source of heat for them.

B ruce smiled at Jason. “Thank you.” He said, even if the boy wasn't looking at him.

He started to  serve the food, signaling others that it was time to eat.  They didn't need to be told twice.

Moment he decided to eat, fork with food midway to his mouth, he heard the voices  _again_ .

“ _Lovely bunch, aren't they?”_ He heard the feminine voice say. The same one, he mistaken for Barbara before. But this time Bruce didn't show any sign of _something being wrong_.

_Yes, they are._ He thought back the response, as a test.

He was mistaken, thinking he was ready to hear  _another_ voice.

“ _Who would expect, we would end with so many grandchildren, don't you think dear?”_

Wait, what?

“Bruce? Are you _sure_ you are ok?” Asked Barbara. Rest of his family was looking at him worried (or, at least, confused).

In that moment, he realized that surprised, he released the fork in his hand. Now that portion of food lied partly on the table, partly on his pants. Titus was already near him.

“Yes. _Yes. I'm fine._ ” He _really_ tried to convince them. Or himself.

“If you _say so…_ ” she left at it, turning her head to Duke and Tim, to finish their conversation. Reluctantly, rest of family went back to their own food and talks.

Bruce sighed. He sipped some of his coffee to calm his nerves, but…

_Dad?_ He shyly asked in his head.  _Mom?_

“ _Yes dear? Something wrong?”_

Ok. Something _was definitely wrong_. Was he hit with some magic blast recently? Please, let it be magic blast, he _wasn't ready for Arkham…_

“ _Don't be absurd, son! You are fine! Cassie dear, shielded you last time, don't you remember? Although, we must speak about endangering our grandchildren lives like that.”_

“ _And his own, Thomas! Don't you forget that!”_

“ _What your mother said!”_

Bruce closed his eyes and rested his head on his hands. It was getting more ridiculous.

“Father?” he looked at Damian's worried face. He smiled fondly at him and stroked his head.

“I'm alright, Damian. Just headache.” _Yes. Headache._

But his parent's voices had good point, if he were honest.

He looked at everyone around the table. Barbara chatting with Duke and Tim about some fantasy game. Dick and Jason annoying each other. Steph edging them on and laughing at them. Cass and Alfred exchanging knowing looks with each other. Damian petting Titus…

It was _calm_. _Nice,_ he would say. Those voices were right – who could imagine, he would end up with such big family (and he could probably include more people, besides those present). He wished for that moment to stay.

But he also didn't want to endanger his family. Even, if some of them _needed_ the mantle. _Needed that life_. Still, he wondered…

“If…” He started _not_ whispering, but also not trying to be load.

Cass, Damian and Alfred looked at him, prompting to continue.

“If I wasn't…” _the Batman_. No, that was wrong way to start.

Now everyone was looking at him, waiting to hear the rest.

“If _you_ _…_ couldn't patrol anymore, what would you plan to do?” there was a short pause after his question, then…

“Bruce. I _am._ _T_ _he._ Oracle.”

“Couldn't patrol as you mean for health reasons? Or law? Because both didn't really stop us earlier, you know?”

“B. If _death itself_ couldn't stop me, what do you think _would?_ ”

“What Jason… said.”

“I don't know. Became police officer, again _?”_

_Of course_ , those children couldn't answer him straight away. It was harder than Bruce thought and that increasing _weird feeling_ , couldn't leave him alone. That feeling being – what Bruce somehow interpreted as – his parents curiously waiting for answers (and nagging him to get those).

“No, that's not what I meant…” he stopped them. “What I meant… Steph, Jason – you are both in collage right now, right?” everyone looked at both of them. Steph was indifferent but surprised at the question. Jason looked as he was ready to fight anyone who dared to laugh at him. “And what about you Tim? Do you plan to finish high school? Renew Drake Industries?”

“What got into you, B?” Dick asked Bruce.

“I must agree with Master Richard, Master Bruce. You aren't normally… so forward with your questions concerning your family.”

“It's nothing, I just…”

“…got hit in the head during patrol?” Stephanie threw in.

“…got amnesia?”

“…touched something potentially magical?”

“…got drunk _for real_?”

“…were hit with some stupid pollen and now you are emotional?”

Bruce looked at them _not_ amused.

“ _Actually…_ ” he started, completely _done_ with that whole situation. “I think I might be possessed. By your grandparents.” he said retorded.

No-one looked shocked.

“To clarify. By _our grandparents_ , you meant…?” Barbara asked.

“My parents.”

“ _Oh._ ”

“So, those questions…?”

“They were curious.”

“ _Ah…_ ”

For a while, nobody reacted. Everyone got back to eating, with no talking in between. Bruce hoped that _that was it_. That he could eat in peace now.

Until Jason talked.

“If they are still listening, tell them that Dickhead was the one who crashed _gramp's Cadillac_.”

“Hey!” Dick turned to Jason. “Then they should also know that Jason was the one who broke _gramp's old **Husqvarna**_ ** _Moped_.** ”

“Actually it was _Cass?_ ”

“Not me! Tim!”

“ _Cass_?! But seriously, it was _demon brat_.”

“Stop lying in front of Grandparents, Drake!”

“Bruce! Point out that Duke and I are innocent!”

“I'm not related to them.”

“That doesn't make you _innocent_ , Gordon.”

“ _Sweet kids you have there, Bruce dear.”_

He nodded mentally to his mother _I wouldn't call them exactly sweet, but they are mine. And I wouldn't change that._

“ _That's good to hear. You should spend more time with them. Without the cowl in between.”_

_I…_ He paused.  _I want to. But would they want that?_

“ _You wouldn't know till you tried, son”_ his father replied. He didn't.

Bruce studied his family.  N ow almost every member  was  included in the quarrel. No one grabbed the silverware yet to threaten each other (surprisingly, but maybe those lectures from Alfred sunk in),  but those were close calls. Bruce wished, he could call those  threats normal occurrence.  Or  _fake_ . Both, r eally. But at the same time could he call it  _bonding_ ?  They rarely even talk with each other outside of patrol…

_Do you think… I should stop being Batman?_

“ _I was against you becoming one, in the beginning.”_ he heard his mother scolding.

“ _You unnecessary risked your life every night. Couldn't you find other way to help people?”_ his father added.

“ _But_ _then I thought:_ _where would those kids end if you wouldn't help them?_ ”

_Probably somewhere more safe._

“ _You don't know that._ ” 

Bruce didn't  answer  them .

“ _But I must say…”_ his father added after a moment _“you grew up to be honest good-hearten man. And that was all I asked for. We are proud of you, son.”_

Bruce's hand wavered. His face didn't show anything.

“ _Don't cry, Brucie dear.”_ His mother said. _“Come on, give the pearl to Alfred would you? I'd like to talk with him before our time end_ _s_ _.”_

“ _Don't forget grandchildren, Martha.”_

Bruce eyes widened at the mention of pearl, but moment later he wasn't shocked, mentally rolling his eyes because _of course it was pearl_. He handed the object to Alfred. His butler and father figure hesitated only a second, before taking the pearl into his hand.

Bruce observed as Alfred's eyes widened just as his a moment ago. Moment later Alfred calmed. He nodded, listening to instructions only he could hear, smiling fondly. Soon, he excused himself from the table, taking some of empty dishes – pearl still in hand.

Bruce continued his dinner, sometimes stopping others from seriously injuring (not necessarily) guilty party.

After dinner, Alfred would tell rest about the pearl, with instructions and with probably _time schedule_ saying how long each have time to talk with Mr  & Mrs Wayne.

In the meantime, maybe… he would… _talk_ …with whoever isn't busy.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad as he makes it out to be.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy New Year!


End file.
